The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-15
GETTING At THE FACTS.
THE QUARANTINE INVESTIGATION
BEGUN.

witnesses Examined - DR.. Wege-
farth's Reply to the Charges OF Lax
Ouarartine-No Proof of Discrimina-
zion on the Part Of the Quarantine
officials.
An official investigation of the manage
rnent of the quarantine station was begun
Yesterday afternoon by Mayor Lester and
the special council committee, Messrs. Dun
can, Haines ard Nichols. The investigation
was conducted in the Mayors office. A
dozen or more witnesses most of them river
men, were summoned. Alderman Reid, Dr.
Mcfarland, Health Officer, and Dr.. Wege-
Earth, quarantine physician, were also pres
ent. The Mayor read the charges which the
committee was appointed to investigate and
which were in substance that the quaran-
tine station is being run to the benefit Of
the Tugboat Company and Y. Paulsen &
Co, ship chambers, to the detriment and in
convenience of other citizens, and that the
regulations are not properly enforced.
ALDERMAN REDS STATEMENT.
Alderman Reid, who, as a member of the
Health and Cemetery Committee, first
brought the matter to the attention OF the
health authorities, stated that he had heard
rumorS from various sources OF a lax en-
fOrCelDeriL OF the quarantine regulations. ne
called upon DR. Mcfarland, by whom he was
treated very discourteously. He then went
to the Mayor, feeling that the matter was
serious one and that it should be looked
into.
He went ON to say that he heard first
that Mr.. James Cherry, ship chand-
Ier's agent, heard DIR. Wegefarth say
that he would do all in his power to further
NJ. P1ulsen's interest; that it was matter
of dollars and cents TO him. This MIR
Cherry said in the presence Of MeSsrs. p
Kehoe. James Mcbride and man called
Bismarck.
WHAT Mr.. REID HEARD.
He also said that all that was required
was to take down a dozen bottles of beer and
a pint of whisky and he Cherry could stop
at quarantine a week
H. Mcfarland had admitted, he said,
that Schroeder * Co. IS runner had been at
tine quarantine island with provisions on
two occasions, and that when the doctor
found it out be told the runner not to 60
there again: that one of the vessels at quar-
antine needed some ballast logs and that
S5tevedore James Foley had them tOwed
down and went ashore on the island
That Stevedore j. p. Larsen
had been to the quarantine station and was
on board the German bari. Othello soliciting
business. and that the captain had so stated
n Messrs Bergman and Kehoe That the
captain Of the Norwegian bark Progress
complained of parties being at quarantine
and allowed to sell FISH and beef.
VISITED TYBEE ISLAND.
Mr. Read continued with statement of
what George Wurthem, Tybee Islander
said. lie stated that DR.. Wegefar4h took
the entire crew of a vessel at quarantine TO
Tybee Island and that he threatened to kill
the doctor if he brought them there again.
Mr. Reid then returned to Mcbride, and
stated that Mcbride told him that Mr..
Cherry said that he had received a
letter from the captain of a bark at
quarantine stating that he could buy all the
meat he wanted from parties who visited
the station. Mcbride also stated that the
British bark Giovanni had laborers from the
mainland working on board and that a
. hoffman came there twice a week TO peddlc
beef.
SOME LIVELY TALK.
There was some lively talk between Mr..
Reid and DR.. Mcfarland as to what MIR.
Reid had said in regard TO the management
of the station.
The Mayor asked Mr.. Reid If he did not
say 10 Dr. Mcfarland that he had heard
rufnors that the quarantine station was
being run ia the interest of the Tugboat
Company and II. Pausen & Co.
mo. sir, replied Mr.. Reid, Il asked the
Doctor for information based upon runors
that had heard"
Did you ask if it might not be trne that
the Tugboat Company is indirectly getting
paid for the services it renders the city,"
Yes I also asked him il the Tugboat
Company was not working in the ill-
teiest OF Pauls9n 81 Co, ship chambers.
/ made no charges of ~ kind, because |
was not sure of any violation of tho regula-
tions. What | W intel was informltion."
WITNESSES BEFoRg THE CoM1uTTEE.
Mr.. Cherry was then brought before the
committee.
NOV are supplies taken TO the quaran-
tine station y asked the Mayor.
They are carried to within half a mile
of the station and then transferred to the
quarantine boat and taken To the island
Mr.. Cherry denied having quoted DR..
Wegefath as saying that he would do all in
his power to aid Paulsen d Co; that it was
a matter Of dollars and cents to HIM He
did say that Dr. Wegefarth got his supplies
from Pauisen & Co, and he thought that
might prejudice him in their favor
THE BEER STORY DENIED
Ibid you say that by taking dozen bot
ties of beer and a bottle of whisky to quar-
antine you could stay there weekF'
NO, sir"
Do YOU know of any violation of the
quarantine regulations by parties visiting
the station without permits!'
mo. SIR
Mr. Cherry was questioned in regard to
meat being peddled at the island, and he
stated that he understood that meat
had been bought there from parties who
came from Daufuski
Mr.. Kehce was then put up, but he denied
any knowledge of a violation of the quaran-
time regulations He had heard rumors he
said, bit could not substantiate them.
AN BX-BoATMAN's STORY.
Jaulss Mcbride former quarantine
boatman, was questioned at length, but
there was nothing in what he SAID to show
that the station is being nun in the interest
Of the Tugboat Company, Paulsen d
Co., or any one except the city.
His testimony was lengthy. He stated what
he had heard in regard to parties visiting
the island, and that he himself had seen out
siders there, though not recently. He re.
pcated = conversation with the Captain of
the bark Progress, which, went to sea yester-
day. IN which the Captain said that parties
we're allowed TO come to the island peddle
fist
James Foley gave the liveliest testimony
OF any witness, bat there was nothing in it
b. show a discrimination on tho part Of the
quarantine officials IN favor of any ship
nIpply 1im against another. He stated
thar he had towed ballast logs to the island,